Partnership
In Christian ministries, the importance of working together in Partnership cannot be overestimated. This article summarizes the results of a review that was done after several years of developing, practicing, and teaching the six elements of Scripture Impact. Applicable far beyond the immediate context of collaboration among Christian ministries, the review outlined the guiding principles for multi-organizational collaboration which had been shown to be most effective. The results are reproduced below (used by permission.) HAVE WE BUILT AN ADEQUATE FOUNDATION? Principle #1: Overwhelming Need or Overarching Strategy Organizations choose to work together because they have a compelling, overwhelming need or an overarching strategy that is bigger than they can meet on their own. Principle #2: Internal Collaboration It’s easier and safer to learn how to work together internally – sharing ideas and resources, working across departmental and project boundaries, and communicating transparently – before trying to do it inter-organizationally. Principle #3: Foundation of Friendship Multi-organizational collaboration and planning are built on a foundation of meaningful personal relationships among leaders and members of the organizations involved. Friendships, not paper or plans, “carry the collaboration”. Principle #4: Personal and Organizational Exegesis Just as good Biblical exegesis helps us understand the meaning of a text, the process of “personal and organizational exegesis” helps us deepen our understanding of other organizations and their leaders. ARE THE NECESSARY COMMITMENTS IN PLACE? Principle #5: Leadership Presence and Support Successful multi-organizational efforts depend on the vision, commitment, drive and interpersonal sophistication of the individuals who champion and lead the effort, and maintain a presence throughout the initiative. Principle #6: Future Orientation By choosing not to keep bringing past practices and mistakes of potential partners, we free ourselves – and them – to move toward a better future. Principle #7: Choosing to Make it Work In the end, we do what we decide is worth doing: if organizations want to work together, they figure out how to overcome their differences. If they don’t want to work together, they come up with good reasons not to. ARE WE PREPARED FOR THE PRACTICALITIES OF COLLABORATIVE PLANNING? Principle #8: Collaboration is a Journey Learning to plan and work together with other organizations is an unfolding process, not a one-time event. Learning to walk together with others on the journey brings great challenges and great satisfactions. Principle #9: Meaningful Participation is Essential To build commitment on the part of other organizations to a vision and a plan, maximize their participation, and foster the sustainability of their efforts, these organizations need to be involved together from the beginning in creating a shared vision and developing joint initiatives. Principle #10: Involve Skilled Facilitators to Smooth the Way The presence of a skillful facilitator or team greatly enhances the meaningful participation of all groups, the quality of inter-organizational relationships and the likelihood of successful planning and implementation. Principle #11: Keep Planning, People and Action Connected Those expected to carry out plans need to be involved in the planning. Collaboration action is most likely to happen on the part of those who are actually involved in the planning. ARE WE GROUNDED IN REALITY? Principle #12: Set Realistic Expectations in Light of the Teams who Have to Do the Work Multi-organizational planning has the same constraints as any other kind of planning; it’s just more complicated! Organizations and their people have to have the capacity and commitment to actually make it happen. Principle #13: Live with Reality – And do All You Can with What You’ve Got Sometimes an individual or agency makes it impossible to work with them. Given the situation, “What is the best that we can hope for?” And “What can we do to leave the door open so those who don’t want to work with us today know they're still welcome to do so tomorrow?”